Diálogos Latinoamericanos ISSN: 1600-0110
[email protected] Aarhus Universitet Dinamarca Diniz, Júlio Brazil and issues of cultural and national identity in Latin America Diálogos Latinoamericanos, núm. 2, 2000, pp. 24-38 Aarhus Universitet Aarhus, Dinamarca Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=16200203 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Diálogos Latinoamericanos Brazil and issues of cultural and national identity in Latin America Júlio Diniz1 I – The representations of the foundational myth The 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Portuguese in the American continent has underscored, this year, in innumerable intellectual circles, the need to re-discuss issues linked to colonialism and post- colonialism, dependency relations, globalization, and all the related cultural implications this discussion brings up. The official “celebrations” of the “discovery of Brazil”, elaborately prepared by the government of the former sociologist and advocate of the left-wing intelligentsia during the military dictatorship and current President of Brazil Fernando Henrique Cardoso, culminated on April 22. A production worthy of an Oscar for special effects – a ship, the same size as the original Portuguese caravels that reached the Brazilian coast in the autumn of 1500, arrived in Bahia amidst fireworks, to the sound of symphonic orchestras, military music bands, afro and afoxé groups, samba and pagode bands, and “trios elétricos” (live music and sound systems on a truck). There were local politicians, diplomatic representatives, pop stars, members of high society and the jet set, social climbers, all under the blessing of the Catholic church and transmitted by television from coast to coast.